Exercise Could Relieve Stress And Anxiety Even After The Workout Is Over: Study

We've all heard of -- and experienced -- the stress-busting effects of working out. But now, a new study suggests those effects may last even after we've hopped off the treadmill.

A new study from the University of Maryland School of Public Health shows that we can still reap the anxiety-relieving effects of exercise after the exercise has been completed.

"We found that exercise helps to buffer the effects of emotional exposure," study researcher J. Carson Smith, an assistant professor in the university's department of kinesiology, said in a statement. "If you exercise, you'll not only reduce your anxiety, but you'll be better able to maintain that reduced anxiety when confronted with emotional events."

The Medicine and Science in Sports and Exercise study included 37 healthy young adults. On one day, they had 30 minutes to just sit and rest, after which they viewed 90 minutes worth of images -- ranging from pleasant, to unpleasant, to just neutral. The researchers measured their anxiety levels before they rested, after they rested, and then after they viewed the images.

Then, the next day, the researchers had the study participants do 30 minutes of moderate exercise before viewing the images. Their anxiety levels were measured just like the day before -- before the exercise, after the exercise, and after viewing the images.

The researchers found that after both the 30 minutes of rest and the 30 minutes of exercise, anxiety levels were successfully lowered. But after viewing the images, researchers found that only the exercise helped to keep anxiety levels down. When the study participants had only rested, their anxiety levels went right back up to their original levels.

An ancient martial arts form originally developed in China, Tai Chi is a flowing, meditative series of movements designed to connect the mind and body and foster a sense of calm and serenity. But don't be fooled by its peaceful nature -- tai chi will keep you constantly in motion, engage your entire body and offer a great mental challenge to stay present and in the moment.
Flickr photo by Doug Hay

Qi Gong, also an ancient Chinese art form, focuses on the repetition of one movement at a time (versus a series of movements like in Tai Chi). "Qi" refers to "life energy," and this invigorating workout is dedicated to cultivate the spirit and promote healing, health, and awareness through visualization, breathing techniques and repetition of specific "energy flowing" movements.

This form of moving meditation comes from shamanic and eastern cultures and has been used for centuries for various rituals and spiritual passages. While it looks a little like something you might see at a rave party, its definitely a fun way to let loose, blow off steam and enjoy some mindless movement (and possibly even connect a little deeper into the spiritual realm).

If you've been burning the candle at both ends for too long, we can't recommend restorative yoga enough. While many forms of yoga offer a relaxing element to their practice, some poses and postures may require a lot of effort to maintain or get into -- not exactly something you need to stress over if you're burned out. Instead of moving from pose to pose, you'll hold restful positions for a longer period of time, giving your body the opportunity to truly let go and release.
Restorative yoga offers a truly soothing experience, designed to completely relax your body (it's almost as calming as sleeping), but it still gives you a little more to do than simply sitting and breathing.

Drawing from concepts used in Tai Chi, Shiatsu and Qi Gong, Ai Chi incorporates the use of water resistance and buoyancy to create a relaxing, flowing form of movement. Typically performed standing in shoulder deep water, Ai Chi uses deep breathing and large, deliberate movements of the entire body to help improve range of motion, mobility and balance.

If everything we've mentioned so far has you yawning, stick to your type-A workout and turn it into a more spiritual experience with Chi Running. Just like it sounds, this unique form of "spiritual cardio" combines movement principles of Tai Chi with running, making it easier and healthier for both your body and mind.
Chi Running utilizes relaxed, resistance-free, forward momentum (and is often done barefoot) to help engage more of your core muscles and reduce risk of injury.
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